Apr 1, 2012

Moist and chewy coconut macaroons are not just for Passover! They are pretty addicting, and naturally gluten free, so enjoy them any time of the year!

... and making macaroons couldn't be easier, you simply combine coconut flakes, egg whites, and sugar, simmer on the stove, cool then bake in the oven. If you want to get fancy you could add some slivered almonds or drizzle them with chocolate, but here's a basic recipe.

In a heavy saucepan combine egg whites, sugar and coconut flakes and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until all the ingredients combine together, about 12-15 minutes. The mixture should be sticky and moist, not dry. Remove from heat and stir in the almond and vanilla extracts. Set aside on a dish and let it cool in the refrigerator about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 300°. Using a tablespoon, scoop tightly packed tablespoonfuls onto a baking sheet covered with a silpat or parchment paper.

I have these in the oven right now! I couldn't even just pin the recipe and make it later. The minute it showed up on my Google Reader feed, I practically rushed to the kitchen! The best part thus far? Scrapping the gooey leftover coconut flakes off the sides of the pan while they're in the oven. Definitely going to bring these to my family's Easter Dinner too! These are even easier than your coconut cornflake cookies (which are REALLY easy). Thank you for making recipes with ingredients I always have!

I'm going to be starting back on Weight watchers as of tomorrow (April 2nd) and I'm so glad you posted this recipe!!! I absolutely love these and the fact that they aren't processed/store bought is even better! I'm trying to go as organic as my paycheck will let me.

Quick question..I have everything except the Almond Extract. Are there any substitutions? Or can it just be skipped? Oh and the Parch..PPR. Don't have that either. Will that cause a problem while cooking? My first time making them and I have NO clue what I'm doing. Ha Ha! Thanks for any help.

Out of curiosity, what does cooking the coconut mixture do for this recipe? I am asking because I have a very similar recipe, but you just mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, scoop the mixture onto a parchment paper covered pan, then bake for 25 minutes at 325 degrees. (They've always turned out fabulous.)

I'm just wondering if cooking the coconut mixture does something extra for the flavor and/or texture.

I used the recipe exactly and it turned out great... I have a gas stove though so I had to practically cook the mixture on low so the egg wouldn't cook to fast... I didn't want to end up with coconut scrambled eggs :)

I have the same question as Dora. I have a very similar recipe, but I just put the mixture in the oven and they turn out great. It doesn't seem necessary to cook the coconut mixture before putting in the oven.

Hi Gina! I love this website and it has made mine and my husband's lives 10x healthier and better. I had a question or maybe it's a challenge. I am moving to Boston this summer and would like to know if you knew a lightened up recipe of Boston Creme Pies. I really would love to surprise my husband with it as a toast to our new lives, but would like to keep it moderately healthy. Anything would be helpful. Thanks!

my friends make this weightwatchers friendly dish with pudding chocolate and crackers..somehow it comes out tasting just like a boston creme donut, its so yummy..im not sure of recipie but i think its no bake and really easy, maybe try searching for it

Made these for Easter weekend. So easy and yummy. I never liked coconut until a few years ago. I was looking at other recipes and they called for sweet condensed milk and flour or cornstarch. Thank You for this wonderful site. I had made many recipes and enjoy it each day.

Gina -- These were soooooooo good. I had a friend (who hates coconut) make them for a Seder and they were gone in a flash. Even my son who said he doesn't like coconut ate 4. Thank you for all that you do.

I went ahead and made them with agave, used the same amount of sugar 2/3 cup but used unsweetened coconut. Turned out great. Kept their shape great......started making them to big so I went smaller with the second batch and I liked that size the best. You def should make them small enough to get 30.

I made these today and they were great. I substituted the 2/3 cups of sugar with 1 tablespoon of Truvia. It was plenty sweet for me because I also drizzled it with semi sweet chocolate. Comparing these to an original macaroon that uses sweet condensed milk, they are a great, healthy, yummy alternative!

Gosh, I don't even really LIKE coconut very much, but these are addictive. I had a bit of coconut leftover from another recipe and was craving something sweet. Yum! I'm a HORRIBLE baker and these were easy peezy.

I just made your macaroons and they are amazing! I added 1/4 cup of slivered almonds and dipped half of each cookie in melted semi-sweet chocolate, and they are to die for. Thank you so much for posting this! What a fantastic recipe.

Wow. That's all I can say. I have never liked macaroons until today. They always look yummy in the bakery case, and then the flavor and texture are disappointing. But I had leftover egg whites after making ice cream, and there's been a bag of coconut in my cupboard for months, and my boyfriend loves macaroons, so I went for it. He's just going to have to share, because I LOVE these. Soft and chewy on the inside, crunchy on the outside, and the flavor is amazing! I got exactly 30 cookies, making them 1 tablespoon each.

I had a batch come out that fell apart, but I had two before that turned out perfectly. I think I squished them together more before putting them on the baking sheet the first two times (like making a snowball). I'm trying again this week!

Loving this Gina! Thanks once again for a simple, satisfying offering!...Question...could I possibly use un-sweetened coconut as the sweet sort is almost impossible to find here in France?..Would I therefore need to "up" the sugar if so?...I realize the sweetened variety probably gives the gorgeous "toasty tan" tone to the finished macaroon!

I have a variation on these -- I heated the sugar by itself until is melted and then caramelized. Looked like hell when I added the egg whites at first but it smoothed out OK and the finished product was AMAZING. The original recipe is already pretty good but adding the caramel really gives it depth. Hopefully I'll be able to replicate my experiment :-)

Tips: watch the sugar like a hawk,I mean a HAWK, no distractions, do not check your phone do not look away. Burned sugar smells horrible and you'll ruin your pan. Don't bother to temper the eggs first, you'll just get hardened sugar threads for your pains, just dump the egg whites right in and stir like crazy 'til they incorporate.

Great recipe. First time I've ever made macaroons and they turned out delicious. The only change I made was to make the macaroons bigger (I made 12 instead of the 38) by packing the cooled mixture into a 1/4 measuring cup before placing each of the twelve on a wax paper covered cooking sheet. They held their shape throughout! Thanks!

Hello! Thank you for your wonderful posts! Is there a substitute for the egg whites? I have a friend who is cutting out gluten, but also eggs and egg whites. I am keeping an eye out for gluten free recipes for her.

I made these last night, and they burned after 5min in the oven so had to lower the oven temperature from 300 to 155. Also, they were so dry..not sure if the coconut flakes that I had are not moist enough because I could only find local coconut flakes and not the brand you stated in the recipe..Any advice?!

I used agave since I didn't have honey in the house and they were a HUGE hit at Thanksgiving. Every one of your recipes I have tried have been delicious. I'm so thankful a friend turned me on to your website.

I made these with 1/4 cup of organic cacao powder and added two extra eggs whites (large size) in order to compensate for the change in recipe.I also used coconut sugar instead of white sugar and plain, (desiccated) coconut and a small amount (about 2 ounces all I had left in cabinet) of lightly sweetened Trader Joe's shredded coconut. The taste was awesome! (less sweet than any I ever had)-- but that's a good thing since macaroons are usually kinda off the diet list... I think I should add more liquid or cook less time-- any suggestions?